IUS Receives RCF Grant for Vocational Training in Engineering
International University of Sarajevo (IUS) is excited to announce that IUS is one of the five grant recipients for new skill-building projects in Bosnia and Herzegovina, awarded investment commitments from the Regional Challenge Fund (RCF) in Sarajevo for the project titled "Business-oriented Education and Competences at IUS as the Right Place for Vocational On-the-job Training in Industry – Modernizing Training Equipment, Facilities, and Technologies at IUS to Address HR Shortages in the Field of Engineering". This initiative, in collaboration with several partnering enterprises, will benefit the Mechanical Engineering (ME), Electronics and Electrical Engineering (EE), and Software Engineering (SE) study programs.
The IUS delegation, comprising of the IUS Rector, Prof. Dr. Ahmet Yıldırım, Associate Professor Dr. Tarik Namas, Assistant Professor Dr. Ismar Alagić and Dr. Nađa Beglerović, Manager of the IUS Office of Sponsored Projects (OSP), attended the grant award ceremony organized on Tuesday, April 23, 2024.
Supported by Germany and Switzerland, the Regional Challenge Fund aims to boost youth employability and enterprise competitiveness in the Western Balkans 6 by funding cooperative training projects. The winners, selected from 155 applicants in the third round, will receive a total of 1.8 million euros to enhance infrastructure and deliver training programs.
Highlighting the significant interest shown by educational institutions and companies in the RCF calls year after year, it underscores the existing need and desire for vocational training to empower young people to envision a future for themselves and remain in the country.
The grant award ceremony gathered representatives from the diplomatic corps, universities, relevant cantonal ministries, and companies, including Mr. Sedin Hondo, Advisor to Minister of Education, Science, Culture, and Sports, Canton Hercegovačko-neretvanski, Mr. Siroco Messerli, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Swiss Embassy in BiH, Dr. Klaus Müller, Director for Southeast Europe and Turkey, German Development Bank (KfW), Ms. Lea Thurm from the German Embassy in BiH, Mr. Ahmet Egrlić , Vice-President of The Foreign Trade Chamber (FTC) of BiH, Balša Ćulafić, RCF Project Coordinator, Chamber Investment Forum WB6 and many other distinguished guests.
